Refused reservation request but guest is trying to book again

[Laura2592]

I refused a reservation request for a guest who indicated they would not follow one of our house rules involving the number staying.  We have a strict count because our house is not that big and our cleaning crew really should not have to deal with the increased capacity.  I sent a polite refusal.  

The guest is trying to book again on a different weekend saying now that the circumstances are suddenly different.  I don't feel comfortable.  What are my options? This is someone with no feedback who has been a member for some time.  

Thanks!

[Susan17]

Unfortunately though @John1080, hundreds of thousands of hosts in grossly-oversaturated regions (average occupancy levels are running at 11% or less in some markets), are receiving so few bookings that they don't have the luxury of being able to pick and choose, or screen appropriately., as they would wish. They have no option to survive, but to take whatever crumbs from the table are thrown at them. 

Airbnb know this, of course, but they purposely continue to further saturate those markets by offering unprecedentedly generous  incentives and sign-up bonuses (up to $800 in certain areas) to reel in even more brand new hosts, in order to artificially inflate their valuation and give the illusion - and it is an illusion - of strong growth, to impress potential investors in the run-up to the public launch. 

So yes, the cards are deliberately stacked against us, in every way. 

[Daveena0]

I had that issue of both the one day minimum being ignored (well technically the guest booked at 11.55pm the night before) and the minimum price I had set had been mysteriously changed to a very low amount - I never use Airbnb's automatic pricing.  So I woke up at 7am to find someone arriving that day at a really really low rate.  So I rang Airbnb straight away and complained and amazingly they cancelled the booking with no penalty to me.  (which does make me wonder if something had gone on with the system and I was not the only once complaining that day...... 🙂

[Alon1]

@John1080 

re. 88% acceptance rate.

Based on my Performance you can trust Airbnb on this one. 

One of my listings has been below 88% for at least three quarters, and it keeps plummeting,

currently 60%.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Laura2592 maybe send them a special offer for three times your normal rate!?!

[Gabriella40]

Brilliant!!!!!   I’m going to use this the next time someone asks for a discount. (As if we aren’t discounting enough already...).

[Linda108]

You are not a fast food franchise, @Laura2592   Yes this is a business, but you are putting your home, your investment and possibly your future on the line.  You have taken the proper steps to vet a potential guest so go with that gut feeling ALWAYS.  I see so many posts where hosts either do not take the steps you have or don't listen to their gut and pay the consequences.

[John1080]

@Linda108, good advice! I think we all can feel when there is something slightly 'off' and we should indeed listen to our gut in these situations. The few times I had minor issues were those times when my gut had told me something was amiss. 

I've had to learn to listen to mine even if it means missing out on some money. I figure there will be less stress in the end and I would prefer to leave those dates open for someone who would be a better fit. The initial lack of good communication skills is, for me, the biggest red flag and I have gotten to the point that if I am not satisfied with that initial message, I typically do not accept that request. 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 This just happened to me 2 weeks ago. Guest with previous bad review from another local host sends an inquiry with some meaningless questions. I have instant book enabled so I don't know why he didn't just book. But anyway I reiterated my rules since I could see from the previous review he was going to have trouble following them. He told me they would look elsewhere. Great. Four days later his girlfriend inquires asking another dumb question. Again, why not just book? But thank goodness they didn't. I ended up very sternly telling them 'NO this is not the right place for you' and had to block out the dates. I lost the weekend but at least I had piece of mind. 

But whenever I have someone ask me all types of questions (I don't like questions) or I just don't want them to stay, I try to talk them into why my place isn't a good fit. At the end of the conversation I want them to come up with the idea that they don't want to stay.

[Gabriella40]

You can decline these guests with poor reviews without penalty.  The reason they can’t use the Instant book feature is because there is an option in your booking settings  indicating  guests  must have positive reviews.

[Emilia42]

@Gabriella40 You are right and I am very thankful for that booking setting. But they didn't even request, they just sent through multiple inquiries from different accounts, which I found strange. I do have the recommended from other host setting checked for 1 out of 3 of my listings. But past experience has taught me that my most annoying guests had dozens of recommendation from other hosts, so you just never really know.

[Gabriella40]

Emilia, Hosting has changed dramatically over the past 3 years.  Airbnb fails to support their hosts in a way that protects our homes and respects our service to it’s  commercial enterprise yet without us they would go out of business.  

The customer care ‘so called specialists’ are untrained, inexperienced and have no idea how to resolve a complicated situation.  

The guest profile has changed from people looking for a “Home Share” experience to demanding a 5 star experience paying  a fraction of the cost, while treating us poorly in our own homes.  

I started hosting 8 years ago because I’d had the dream to open an authentic B&B but not the financial means.  Honestly, if I hadn’t grown accustomed to the income I would stop hosting,  money has become the only reward because the quality of guest has become so disrespectful and demanding, and the support from Airbnb has greatly diminished.

I realize I’m ranting but my family and friends are tired of my stories, unless I can make them humorous, humor has become less possible over time.

[Gabriella40]

Is it possible that the guest circumstances have actually changed and they loved your place.  Maybe clear and concise commutation with them would be a solution.

I sympathize as I’ve had guests who booked  the acceptable number of guests and sneak another one in.  My solution is an inexpensive  video security camera.  If this were to happen you are fully protected, Airbnb would require that the guests leave with no monetary or host penalty to you.  

[Nikki39]

I think it would make me feel uncomfortable and refuse again. I'd prefer to not to have guests that I am constantly worrying about than keep up acceptance rates.  I have had a conversation (or 2) that I thought was odd initially but after more questions accepted a booking from who turned out to be a lovely guest. I have had guests who after I ask them to tell me a bit about themselves have cancelled booking requests too.

[Zappa0]

I don't have a block option, just a flag. Had a guest send me about 22 messages at midnight because she wanted me to let her book and come check her in. (my check in is only until 6pm). I flagged twice. Then she did it again the next night, wanting to make a reservation and insist I come check her in at 1am. Constant messages going off on my phone. Airbnb said there was a technical issue preventing me from blocking her. It's one that will never get fixed, just like the fact that I have push notifications off for almost everything and I still get reminders of upcoming. reservations. Three years of calling into the tech department on that. Over it all. 

[Daveena0]

I'm not sure you necessarily need a reason to refuse a guest.  I think the worst that happens is that the dates are blocked by AirBnB for a few days.  I have a few guides in place to help minimise risk (I rent my home out while I am away), they must be fully verified guests (government ID, photo and contact provided to Airbnb), if they are not, I politely request that they do so.  Some have got angry at this and asked why they have to ............ so that immediately tells me I don't want them in my home and I decline the booking.  I don't accept any guests without verified reviews.  The other is that I have a two-night minimum stay policy, this helps reduce the risk of 'party' guests.